The family day that is celebrated today (Tuesday) is an opportunity to revive habits that most of us have somewhat neglected, chief among them family meals.
The reasons for this are many and varied: most of us come home from work tired and sometimes we continue to work from home, we don't have time to cook - and the children aren't necessarily hungry either after having a snack from the moment they returned from school.
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According to Tamar Yadin, a clinical dietitian and consultant for the Herbalife company, it is of great importance to maintain the institution of the family meal, both on a nutritional-health level and on a family and personal level, therefore it is worth investing in this effort in order to establish an anchor of at least 3-4 family meals a week.
In fact, a family meal is a gathering of all family members around the table.
"Many studies show that children rely on routines, anchors and habits," she says.
"This helps them plan their day and function better, and gives them a sense of certainty and control. This is an extremely essential stage in the child's development and maturation."
Girl eating (illustration), photo: Thinkstock Photos
On top of that, the dynamics around the table allows the family to consolidate, improve communication between its members and strengthen the self-confidence of the children, relieve anxieties and pressures and more.
Studies clearly show that there is a connection between the prevalence of shared family meals and the mental health of the child, his success in studies and the reduction of depressive symptoms among children and youth, preventing the development of eating disorders and building a healthy attitude towards food, and even reduces the chance of using prohibited substances.
"On the nutritional level, a family meal is an orderly meal. To eat healthy and right, it is important to maintain an orderly framework of meals, which will prevent snacking - which will usually be of fast and processed foods, which are calorie-dense and not nutritious," she added.
On the behavioral level, this is unconscious learning, which is very important for the child and his development.
The child watches his parents and siblings behave in front of the food.
And thus he learns to shape his relationship with food, at any age.
Scolding a child for his table manners, for eating incorrect amounts of food and lack of variety on the plate, will not achieve the hoped-for result like teaching Daran and giving a personal example."
decisive effects
Yedin further explains, "Healthy conduct allows the child to learn from his parents and siblings about correct eating habits, table manners, the variety of food and even to the level of chewing food comfortably. Thus, for example, through personal example, the child can be unconsciously taught what are the right amounts for a meal, how to combine vegetables in the meal and what to drink. In this way, we not only control what the child will eat, but actually outline future eating habits for him and not in a compulsive way, which will probably make him suspicious of her, and it can even lead him to the opposite behavior in order to rebel against his parents, but will reveal the sub His awareness of eating right."
Not recommended for family meals.
Snacks (illustration), photo: iStock
"When the parents serve as a positive model for maintaining proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, the chances are high that the child will also adopt the same habits at family meals, and in the long run, when he grows up, he will also behave this way in front of his family, like any other acquired behavior. This also requires the parents to eat healthy, After all, they are the role model," she said.
"On the nutritional level, family meals have a decisive effect on the development of a child who lives in a world of abundant food, temptations and stimuli (in the form of fast food, advertisements for sugary drinks and foods). When we control what will be served at the table, we actually control the food eaten and the drinks that will be served," emphasized Yadin, "Therefore, we must make sure that the family meals are nutritious and contain all the nutrients: carbohydrates (preferably full: wholemeal rye bread, wholemeal rice, quinoa, couscous, etc.), high-quality protein (meat, chicken, fish and egg) or vegetable protein (legumes of all kinds) , tofu), and vegetables, both leafy vegetables (such as lettuce and rocket) and non-leafy vegetables (such as tomato, cucumber, pepper and kohlrabi). A great way to combine vegetables in the winter is by cooking vegetables as a side dish, such as: antipasti, boiled broccoli or cauliflower, etc. , or as a first course - vegetable soup".
Packed with nutritional values, not calories
The family meal is also an excellent opportunity to experiment with new foods, says Yedin.
They can be placed on the table, and the children, who see the rest of the family eating them, can be intrigued and maybe try them themselves.
In this case, the parent must clarify and make sure that the exposure is to foods packed with nutritional values and not packed with many calories, that is, refuse fresh foods and not processed foods.
At the meal you can even learn about the correct eating rhythm.
"Since the mechanism of hunger and satiety works at a different rate for different people, when you eat more slowly, the chances are that we will feel full faster and avoid overeating. Furthermore, when you see that the other family members have stopped eating, it can also encourage a child who usually eats more to "straighten up" And to finish eating even when not completely full, because the meal is actually over," she noted.
Let the children join you in preparing the meal.
A mother and her daughter prepare a salad, photo: Getty Images
Another advantage of family meals is conscious eating.
According to Yedin, the alternative today is often eating in front of the television, which will be uncontrolled and one that may be emotional (when we are influenced by the viewing content - if, for example, news makes us anxious), and cause overeating.
And what do you do in case the child objects to the food served?
You can give him a sort of task, for example he chooses a side dish he likes once a week, and all to give him a sense of partnership in the meal and reduce resistance.
Another way to harness the children to the meal and prevent objections, is to give them a fixed task related to the meal, such as setting the table, or clearing it after the meal.
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